Latch



June 23, 1942'. k R. L. sA'YLEs- LATCH 2 Sheets-sheaf. 1

Filed Feb. 3,1941

June 23, 1942. R. L. SAYLES LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1941Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH Robert L.Sayles, Meriden, Kans., assignor of onehalf to Stewart K. Sayles,Meriden, Kans.

Application February 3, 1941, Serial No. 277,232 1 Claim (01. 292236) Myinvention relates to latches and has as one of the principal objectsthereof the provision of a latch organization-which may be easilyapplied to doors, gates and the like and which may be convenientlyoperated from either side of the door without undue effort on the partof the operator.

An important object of my invention is to pro vide a device of thecharacter described which is simple in construction, durable in use,'efficient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, appended claim and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designatelike parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention in connected relation witha gate and gate post.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the latch casing and latch bar andwith the same illustrated in disassembled relation.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the latch bar operators.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the keeper.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the latch and illustrating a modifiedarrangement of the latch bar operators.

In practising my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusiveof the drawings, I provide a latch organization comprising a latchcasing 5 secured to the front end of a gate 6 and a keeper I secured toa gate post 8, it being understood that the gate is' adapted to pivotwith respect to the post. The latch casing 5 is fashioned withdetachable front and rear sections 9 and respectively and with saidsect-ions secured together by means of nuts and bolts l l or the like.The side walls 12 are cut and bent in a manner to form substantiallyanterolaterally disposed brackets l3 and with the latter defining thecontours of registering openings [4 in the walls l2 as clearlyillustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings.

The section I0 is formed with top, bottom, front end and rear end wallsI5, l6, l1 and I8 respectively and with the front and rear end walls I1and I8 fashioned with elongated slots l9 and 20 respectively. The slot19 is disposed intermediate the top and bottom walls l and [6 while theslot IB is disposed in close proximity to the top wall [5 for a purposehereinafter made apparent.

Postjacent the opening M, the wall l2 of the section l0 has threadedtherein one end of an inwardly disposed pivot or screw 2!, the latterhaving pivotally mounted thereon a latch bar or element 22 provided withfront and rear end portions 23 and 24 respectively. The inner ends ofthe portions 23 and 24 effect jointure with each other at the pivot 22while their respective outer ends extend through the slots I9 and 20.The outer end of the rear portion 24 is provided with a weight 25 forurging the upper face of the front portion of the bar in engagement withthe face defining the upper end of the slot l9.

Each of the brackets I3 is provided with an aperture 26 through whichextends a bolt 21 pivotally and interjacently connected to a bell cranklever or latch bar operator 28. The lowerend 29 of the lever 28 extendsthrough the adjacent opening Id of the side wall and overlies the upperface of the front portion of the bar 23 prejacent the pivot 2 I. The end29 of each of the levers 28 extends in close proximity to horizontalitywhile the other end 30 extends upwardly in close proximity toverticality as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Both of the ends 29 ofthe levers 28 engage one of the upper faces defining one of the openingsI4 whereby to maintain the ends 30 in raised position.

The keeper 1 comprises a plate 3i formed with a pair of elongated slots32 through which extends screws 33 for securing the keeper to the gatepost 8, the elongation of the slots permitting vertical adjustment ofthe keeper with respect to the post and the latch bar 22 as apparentfrom an inspection of Figure 3 of the drawings. The upper end of theplate is formed with a right angularly disposed section 34 extendingtowards the casing 5 and terminating in close spatiality therewith. Thesides of the section 34 are fashioned with bearings 35 in which arerotatably mounted horizontal pintles 36, the latter being provided atone end with normally depending portions 31 and at their opposite endswith horizontally disposed portions 38 normally engaging the upper faceof the section 34 and precluding outwardly swinging of the portions 31.The side walls 12, postjacent the brackets [3, are formed withregistering openings 39 through which is inserted a pin 43 for overlyingengagement with the bar 22 to preclude accidental operation of the barto open position, as hereinafter set forth, by cattle or the like. Thepin 40 is secured to one of the walls I2 by a chain 4! or the like.

In operation, the parts being in the positions illustrated in full linesin Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, pressure is exerted on the upper end 30 ofone of the levers 28 to actuate the upper end in a direction towards thegate. When pressure is thus exerted on the lever the latter actuates thefront portion of the bar downwardly and below the lower ends of theportions 31 of the pintles 36 and at the same time effect swinging ofthe gate to an open position beyond the post.

When the gate is operated from opened to closed position, it is swungtoward the keeper, (the bar being disposed in horizontality by theweight 25 as hereinbefore described) whereupon the bar engages adepending portion 31 of the adjacent pintle and rotates said dependingpor tion inwardly and upwardly to a point where it becomes released fromthe bar and gravitates to normal verticality thus positioning the bar between the portion 31 of both of said pintles. Due to the portions 38 ofthe pintles engaging the section 34, the depending portions 3'! areprecluded from outwardly and upwardly pivoting thereby maintaining thebar interposed between the portions 37 when said bar is in theaforementioned horizontal position. From the foregoing it will beapparent that the gate may be freely opened by merely exertingsufiicient pressure upon the upper end of one of the levers 28 andwithout any other attendant exertion on the part of the operator.

In instances where gates or the like are adapted to be opened in onedirection only, one of the levers 28 is inverted as illustrated inFigure 7 thus permitting the gate to be conveniently pulled open fromone side and pushed open from the opposite side.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain theinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it isnot indispensable that all the features of the invention be usedconjointly since they may be employed advantageously in variouscombinations and sub-combinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein describeduse therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it isadaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific construction as illustrated and described as thesame is only illustrative of the principles of operation, which arecapable of extended application in various forms, and that the inventioncomprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a gate latch, a substantially rectangular shaped casing provided withslots in opposite end Walls thereof and having ears struck out fromopposite side walls thereof providing openings arranged between theslots and opposite to each other, a latch bar pivoted in said casing andprotruding through the slots, said ears being arranged at right anglesto the side walls of the casing and extending in opposite directions toeach other, and L shaped levers pivoted on the ears with portionsthereof extending through the openings and engaging over the bar and theother portions extending upwardly and outwardly from the casing toprovide handles for the manual pivoting of said latch bar from eitherside of the casing.

ROBERT L. SAYLES.

